In Quebec, contracting permission is required since 2012 for any service contract that includes expenditures equal to or greater than $ 1 million, and for any construction contract that includes expenditures equal to or greater than $ 5 million.

It is obtained after background verification by UPAC and AMP resolution.

However, some types of contracts, particularly those relating to the supply of personal protective equipment, are exempt from this obligation. But that could change.

As the Director of Public Affairs and Communications at AMP, René Bouchard, stated, Discussions are currently underway with Secrétariat du Conseil du trésor to make legislative changes so that companies in the supply sectors are subject to the same rules as companies in the services and construction sector..

It is a matter of integrity in public procurement.

According to a pool by Radio-Canada, only two of the fifteen major suppliers who provided three-quarters of $ 3 billion in PPE supplies during the pandemic currently have government contracting authorization.

Some companies outside of Canada are also not registered with the Quebec business registry.

At AMP, we are well aware of this During the pandemic, several contracts were awarded to different companies to supply medical supplies, Without an account The (health) decree that allows contracts to be entered into without any other formality. Most of the time by mutual agreement.

However, this does not eliminate the responsibility of health and social services institutions for the appropriate assessment of the needs and costs of these contracts and the ability of these companies to deliver goods.Mr. Bouchard remembers.

Moreover, one of the budget documents presented by the Chairman of the Trade Council last Thursday indicates this The government intends to propose a bill to review some provisions of the law on contracting by public bodies and the Autorité des marchés publics respect law in order to improve the current integrity system and thus ensure that the highest standards of integrity are maintained at the public’s conclusion. shrinkage.

According to our information, this law could be introduced in the spring of this year

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It must be said that at the end of January, in an interview with Radio Canada, the Commissioner of UPAC announced his intention to take care of contracts signed on the sidelines of the pandemic.

There are contingent procurement rules, but this does not mean taking this opportunity to commit reprehensible acts, whether they are acts of corruption or breach of trust by favoring some suppliers.Commissioner Frederic Godreau said.